1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer software. More specifically, the present invention relates to techniques for creating and using virtual components in a computer-aided design (CAD) drawing.
2. Description of the Related Art
The term computer-aided design (CAD) generally refers to a broad variety of computer-based tools used by architects, engineers, and other construction and design professionals. CAD software is frequently used to compose CAD drawings that include two-dimensional (2D) and/or three-dimensional (3D) models of a mechanical design. Further, the parts included in the 3D model may be used to generate a bill of materials (BOM) for part procurement or cost analysis of a proposed design. Generally, a BOM includes an entry to represent every part included in a 3D model of a mechanical design.
Even with the use of CAD software, the task of creating, manipulating, and rendering a 3D model of a mechanical design is complex. Also, mechanical designs frequently include standard parts that are not relevant to the design process. For example, parts such as wiring, inserts, fasteners, paint, and lubricants and the like are not typically included in a 3D model. Because modeling these parts is time-consuming and unnecessary, they are usually not included in the 3D model. However, because many standard parts are not typically included in the 3D model, they are omitted from a BOM generated from the 3D model. Nevertheless, since the cost of these parts must be captured, there is usually a requirement for non-modeled parts to be included in the BOM.
In the prior art, one approach to capturing the non-modeled parts has been for a designer to manually add these parts to the BOM after it has been created from the 3D model. However, since parts are not added to the BOM contemporaneously to the modeling process, this approach can result in parts being overlooked, and can result in incomplete or erroneous BOMs. Another approach in the prior art has been to create separate files containing only the parts that are not in the 3D model, and to merge these files with the 3D model files when both are complete. However, this ad-hoc approach results in a complex system of multiple files which can be difficult to manage and maintain. Furthermore, neither of these approaches accounts for the fact that although some elements of a mechanical design should not be included in a display or visual representation of the object being designed, they are part of the object being represented by the 3D model.
As the foregoing illustrates, there is a need in the art for techniques for creating and using virtual components in a CAD drawing.